Germany - From policy to practice: Safety and Health in Micro and Small Enterprises in the EU

This report provides an overview of how occupational safety and health (OSH) can be supported in micro and small enterprises (MSEs).

MSEs face particular challenges when it comes to identifying and managing OSH risks. In the report, good examples from 12 different EU countries demonstrate how various intermediaries, authorities and OSH institutions can reach out to and support MSEs. The report also explores the experiences of OSH intermediaries that work with MSEs gathered through workshops and interviews carried out in nine EU Member States: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, Sweden and United Kingdom.

It is clear that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution to ensuring the safety and health of workers in the smallest workplaces — a combination of different tools and initiatives, tailored to the specific needs of each enterprise, is likely to be most efficient and effective.

Much more needs to be done to improve OSH in MSEs, in most settings and sectors. Based on the examples presented in this report, recommendations to support future policy development are made.